The Monkey Mind

“You’re going to be quiet for two whole days?” My sister says to me, her careful placement of emphasis making clear that the concept of silence is not what she’s in disbelief of, but rather that it is me who will attempt it.  I feign offense. Signing up for a two-day silent meditation retreat in…

The Path to Enlightenment

I brought with me to Bhutan a pre-existing interest in Buddhism. I can’t really remember what compelled me, but last March I enrolled in an ‘Introduction to Buddhism’ class in San Francisco.  Yes, I could have bought a book – but you cannot ask questions to a book, and I had lots of those.  So…